1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to seed planters, and is particularly concerned with planters having a magnetic seed treating device thereon for treating seeds as they are planted exposing the seeds to magnetism to increase the rate of germination of the seeds and the rate of plant growth from the seeds.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As discussed in the prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,675,367 and 3,765,125, it has been long known that the rate of germination of seeds and the rate of plant growth from the seeds is effected by magnetism. The latter patents disclose apparatus for "inducing magnetism" into the seeds by conveying the seeds through a magnetic field in large quantities, the apparatus being constructed to reduce the time necessary to "induce magnetism" into the seeds.
As discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,675,367 and 3,765,125, the exact type of action that takes place when the seeds are exposed to a magnetic field is not completely known. However, when a seed is placed between the north and south poles of a horseshoe magnet for a period of time, it is known that the seed will germinate faster and that the resulting plant will be larger than plants from seeds not so treated. This phenomenon is discussed in the summer, 1968 issue of Canada Agriculture in an article entitled "Biomagnetism--A mysterious plant growth factor" by U. J. Pitman. In the latter referred to publication, it is pointed out that seeds that have been placed in a stationary position between the poles of a permanent magnet for periods of up to 240 hours prior to planting germinate faster and grow more during the seedling stage.
As discussed in the above referred to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,675,367 and 3,675,125, it is believed that the time required to adequately magnetically treat a seed depends to a large extent on the position of the seed with respect to the magnetic field, and that there is an ideal position for each seed with respect to the magnetic field in which the seed will become almost instantaneously energized by the magnetic field. It is believed that "magnetism" is induced into the seeds through the RNA (Ribonucleic acid) molecules, and that the RNA molecules orient themselves with respect to the magnetic field when the seed is placed in the magnetic field. If the seed were placed in the ideal position in the magnetic field, the effects of magnetism would be induced into the seed almost instantaneously. As pointed out above, if the seed is placed in a stationary position, it will become "magnetized after an exposure of 240 hours which appears to indicate that under the worse circumstances, that is, with the seed in the worst possible orientation with respect to the magnetic field, the seed will be magnetized after a period of 240 hours.
Another factor in successively increasing the rate of germination of seeds and the rate of plant growth from the seeds with magnetic treatment is that the seeds must be planted within a reasonable period of time after undergoing the magnetic treatment. Ideally, the seeds should be planted immediately after the magnetic treatment.